The present invention envisions an insulated container assembly including a dispensing lid assembly which is used for moving the container assembly as well as dispensing liquids from the container assembly.
Prior art insulated containers are generally of a rigid construction. In particular, numerous insulated containers are produced from rigid materials such as aluminum, rigid plastic, and styrofoam. One of the problems encountered with these rigid insulated containers is that they are somewhat heavy and become quite heavy, especially when they are filled with a liquid or items to be maintained in a cooled state which may include the use of ice or ice substitutes. These containers can be heavy because they are designed with a double-walled construction to provide insulating characteristics. As such, the weight of the essential container structure is doubled as the result of this double-walled construction.
The resulting filled rigid container can be quite burdensome to carry. As a result of the difficulty in transporting such rigid containers, damage may occur as a result of normal use. Damage may include dents and ruptures in the outer wall which might be lessened or eliminated if the container were not as difficult to transport.
Additionally, carrying rigid containers could be painful to the carrier or nearby persons if bumped by the container. An example might be a thermal bottle, which is a generally rigid container which could be painful if bumped against another person. Containers such as large volume liquid dispensing containers are difficult to lift and carry. One reason for difficulty is that these containers are typically round, barrel-type structures which are awkward and cumbersome to lift and carry.
As a further consideration, some prior art containers are subject to internal damage as well. For example, thermal bottles, mentioned above, are subject to internal damage in the form of breakage. It is well known that most thermal bottles include a glass vacuum chamber inside of a metal casing to provide insulating characteristics. While such an assembly is efficient at maintaining a desired temperature of the contents, such glass vacuum liners are subject to rupture and breakage as a result of impact.
Yet an additional problem associated with the prior art containers is that they are difficult to dispense from as a result of being cumbersome and do not include appropriate grips and supports for dispensing. Further, many prior art containers are not configured to provide drip-free dispensing. A commonly known liquid container includes a push-button spigot positioned in the lower portion of the container. The container is in the form of a large barrel-like structure, and the positioning of the spigot at the bottom allows for dispensing fluids therefrom under gravity induced pressure.
One of the problems that occurs is that as the valve components wear or as the result of improper fit, the spigot tends to drip. This is extremely undesirable when such a container is used to dispense beverages in an indoor setting. The dripping beverages can stain floor surfaces and require clean up. Additionally, a dripping spigot can cause the contents to drip in cars and other vehicles in which such containers might be transported.